Charlotte, NC
A 32-year-old female asked:
Pelvic xray revealed, "narrowing of l5 s1 disc space". what does this mean? could this be causing lower back/pelvic pain?
2 doctor answers • 5 doctors weighed in
Dr. Qamar Khananswered
Pain Management 19 years experience
Lumbar Degeneration: This pain in the distribution as you suggested is the result of an irritated nerve or facet joints or other injury typically in the lumbar spine (low back) especially your l5/s1 level which can be caused by herniated disks, spinal stenosis or degenerative disc disease, etc requiring further evaluation by a spine specialist.
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4.6k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
Dr. Edison McDanielsanswered
Specializes in Neurosurgery
Nothing 2 worry over: This is very common. Indicates a bit of wear and tear (we all get this). Many people have back pain and many people have disk degeneration—the two groups may overlap but rarely is cause & effect proven. The degeneration is there to stay. The back pain may come & go, is treated with PT, steroids, muscle relaxants, and maybe chiropractic. Surgery is rarely indicated, especially in the short run.
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
4k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
Last updated Mar 15, 2017
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